By Umar Ali Kime
“The nourishment of the body is food, while the nourishment of the soul is feeding others” – Imam Ali Rahimullah.
The Executive Governor of Yobe state, Hon. Mai Mala Buni CON, has repeatedly said “there is no joy in wealth until and unless, someone benefits from it”. This corroborates the maxim which says “life is good when you are happy, but much better when others are happy because of you.”
There is no doubt that Gov. Buni has a special passion for making others happy, loved and dignified as clearly exemplified in his personal interactions, goodwills and gifts in cash, kind or both such that those meeting him for the first time are never in a haste to leave, while the familiar faces are already addicted to him.
Let me share my long cherished experience as a beneficiary of his generosity at a very youthful age. As classmates in our secondary school days, after the long vacation, my father was yet to return from his trip to Lagos and we were billed to return to school. It became naturally obvious for me that l will not join my mates to go back to school. The news of my predicament went viral and filtered into the ears of young Buni. He visited me at home and surrendered his transport and pocket money given to him by his father to return to school. The gesture was both unbelievable and scary. I could not take the money from this amateur philanthropist but he insisted and dropped the money only to go back home to tell his father what he did and requested for another transport and pocket money. This is a story l will live with for my entire life.
Today, it is an indisputable fact that His Excellency Governor Mai Mala Buni CON, has become a leading symbol of care, concern and support to orphans, indigent families, vulnerable groups, and People Living with Disabilities. It is therefore not surprising that his generosity has tremendously expanded to reach more people to satisfy his desire of assisting the less privileged persons in the society.
Just recently, at this crucial moment of economic hardship, Gov. Buni supported 1,000 orphans across the state with N50,000 each to enjoy the Ramadan season and also get new clothes for the Sallah festival for them to have a sense of belonging, love, and dignity.
He said the spirit of giving should be encouraged to go beyond the month of Ramadan. “The importance of such a kind gesture is that it promotes mutual respect and love, and in the same vein, eliminates hatred and envy. Above all, it earns us Allah’s Pleasure” .
Many orphans are today beneficiaries of government programmes with a special care given to them to pursue education at all levels.
“A very good percentage of orphans have been enrolled and sponsored by the State government to pursue education from primary schools up to tertiary level. Furthermore, many of them were enrolled in the Tsangaya Education System in the State” the Governor said.
When he assumed office as the governor of Yobe state in 2019, Governor Buni, visited YETIM orphanage care centre in Damaturu and increased its monthly running cost from N500,000 to N1 million.
He said that became necessary because, children orphaned by Boko Haram insurgency need the collective support by government, Non-Governmental Organizations and individuals, adding “the orphans are children to all of us, and we must give them a sense of belonging by catering for their needs, and that cannot be done by government alone, it’s a collective responsibility.”
It is gratifying that efforts are being made to provide widows and orphans in the state with empowerment packages for self-reliance, empowerment and employment generation. In 2023, the Yobe state government supported 400 widows and 200 orphans from across the 17 Local Government areas with start-up capital to promote self-reliance.
The effective performance by the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency in delivery of consumable and non consumable items to the targeted beneficiaries had been very impressive.
In Yobe state, the distribution of rice, Millet, Maize, Sorghum, Beans, beddings, soaps, and detergents among others has become a common sight. The free education and expanded free Healthcare Scheme has provided the orphans, the poor and vulnerable persons with opportunities to access education, and effective healthcare services in the state.
Governor Buni is personally sponsoring orphans, PLWD and other vulnerable persons in the Yobe State Contributory Healthcare system to access free medical services.
The construction of over 2,000 housing units has no doubt checked the housing deficit in Damaturu, the state capital, the 17 local government headquarters, and other major towns. The good news about this project is that widows and orphans, the vulnerable and People Living with Disabilities are all beneficiaries of the housing intervention. What is more? Governor Buni gave out the houses with a fifty percent (50%) subsidy. Meaning, the beneficiaries are ro pay only fifty percent of the houses. In recognition and appreciation of this incredible performance, the Africa Housing Award, conferred on the benevolent governor, the ‘Best Housing Friendly Governor’s award’ on Buni.
Under his watch, the state government through the Ministry of Wealth Creation, Empowerment and Employment Generation has empowered 68,000 widows, orphans, the indigent and People Living Disabilities with equipment and start-up capital worth over N1.3bn.
The provision of 100 Avensis cars worth over N461 million to professional drivers under the empowerment programme has definitely changed the status of the beneficiaries from drivers to proud car owners.
Governor Buni’s long stretch of goodwill has no doubt reached so many people from far and near, and impacted positively on their lives, with more opportunities to live a life with dignity.
Umar can be reached on kime1920@gmail.com
